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Ingenu delivers wirelessM2M connectivity using their RPMA technology, and is looking to Arrow to bundle their connectivity with Arrow’s own services offerings.

Ingenu’s RPMA Development Kit

Ingenu, which focuses on delivering connectivity for machine to machine wireless networks, has signed a strategic global agreement with Arrow Electronics. It will provide both Ingenu’s connectivity and certified modules to Arrow’s global customer base.

Ingenu began life in 2008 as On-Ramp Wireless, developing a wireless technology purpose-built for machine to machine [M2M] connectivity.

“The core technology was RPMA [Random Phased Multiple Access],” said Derrick Calderon, Ingenu’s vice president of business development. “Initially, it was sold as a private system to oil and gas companies, who would set it up and operate themselves.”

That changed in June 2015, when a new CEO, John Horn, took over.

“He said that the technology was the best kept secret in wireless, and he flipped it to be a public area network purpose built for machines,” Calderon said. “The technology is unique and purpose-built for the Internet of Things. One access point can broadcast a couple hundred square miles, so we can cover large areas of land very inexpensively. The industry has been talking about billions of devices in IoT for years, but it has been expensive, so the hockey stick growth keeps getting put off. We cut costs, and have devices with a 20 year battery life, so it’s easy to get a return. We also have several wireless titans on our board, backing our technology and putting it into the marketplace.”

Ingenu started deploying its public Machine Network a year ago, and now has over 30 markets lit up in major metropolitan areas.

“Like a mobile network operator, we own and sell subscriptions to it,” Calderon said. “Outside the US we license it, and are in 30 countries.”

Canada is not yet among them, because Ingenu has not decided whether to incorporate it into the U.S. network or license it.

“We are discussing how to handle Canada, and determining which way to go,” Calderon stated. “We have interested licensees, but may decide to keep it as part of the U.S. Machine Network.”

Canadian companies are however among Ingenu’s customers – solution providers working in the IoT space.

“We sell these solution providers connectivity to bundle with their solutions,” Calderon said. “They are in several different verticals, and include multiple Canadian companies like LED Roadways, and Dimonoff.” Both these companies are in the street lighting space and control systems space, including smart street lighting. LED is based in Halifax while Dimonoff is in Quebec City. The oil and gas vertical is another key one for Ingenu.

Arrow is not Ingenu’s first distribution partner, but they provide a different type of service from their existing one, with U.K.-based Podsystem.

“Podsystem sells Pure Connectivity, but Arrow sells connectivity bundled with some of their solutions,” Calderon said. “Arrow sells chips and processors, but they also offer design services, to make IT services come to life, and have two core platforms, and bundle our connectivity with some of their services offerings.”

That basic formula is what Ingenu’s solution provider customers do, but Arrow’s services are different.

Ingenu expects that Arrow’s expertise with IoT solution development will spur further expansion of their ecosystem of devices for RPMA.

“Arrow also works a good deal with enterprise customers who want to develop IoT, but who don’t know how,” Calderon added. “We expect some of their customers will use these services internally rather than resell them.”